Electric signal.



No. 692,423. Patented Feb. 4, I902. c. BUDKE, 1R; ELECTRIC SIGNAL' (Application filed Oct. 7, 1901.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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No. 692,423. Patented FBI). 4, I902.

C. BUDKE, .IR. ELECTRIC SIGNAL.

(Application filed Oct. 7, 1901.)

2 SheetsSheet 2.

(No Mbdel.)

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' UNITED STATES CONRAD BUDKE, JR, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

ELECTRIC SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 692,423, dated February 4, 1902. Application filed October 7, 1901. $eria1No. 77,900- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CONRAD BUDKE, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Signals, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention has relation to improvements in electric signals; and it consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts more fully set forth in the specification and pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a general plan of two intersecting trolley systems having my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the signal device, showing one set of signalarms raised and the other lowered. Fig. dis an end View ofFig. 3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section on line 5 5 of Fig. 3, with, however, the arms, shown raised therein, dropped to their lowest position. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the solenoids and a section of the box containing them. Fig. 7 is a side View of a section of the trolley-wire with the signalwire attached. Fig. Sis an enlarged longitudinal section on line 8 8 of Fig. 9, taken through the spacing-pieces and sleeves, the wires being in elevation. Fig. 9 is a transverse section on line 9 9 of Fig. '7, and Fig. 10 is a section on line 10 10 of Fig. 7 looking in the direction of the arrow in said Fig. 7.

The present invention relates to electric car-signals, and has for its object to provide a signal for either one or the other or both cars approaching a common intersection between two sets of tracks or a curve at such intersection, the purpose being to signal the 7 car not having the right of way and allow the car having such right of way to pass on uninterrupted.

In detail the invention may be described as follows:

Referring to the drawings, T T represent the trolley or line wires of two intersecting systems of tracks.

P represents the pole to which my device is attached, said pole occupying a position preferably on one of the corners of the streets along which the cars travel. Mounted on the pole at a convenient elevation from the ground is a box B, having secured therein in any convenient mechanical manner the solenoids S S, within which are adapted to gravitate freely the solenoid-bars 1 1, respectively, suspended from cables 2 2, passing through the top of the box and over guide-pulleys 3 3 3 3, respectively, said pulleys being secured to an arm A, projecting diagonallya suitable distanceintothestreet. (SeeFig. 1.) Atthe free end of the arm A are mounted the intersecting brackets or standards 4. 4, from whose point of intersection there are secured arms 5 5, disposed in a plane at right angles tothat of the arms formed by the intersection of the standards aforesaid. Pivoted at the ends of the arms formed by the intersection ofthe standards 4: are signal-arms 6 6, their short ends being connected by a link 7, to which the upper end of the cable 2 is directly secured. To the ends of the arins 5 5 are pivoted the signal-arms 6 6, whose short ends are connected by a link 7 to which the upper end of the cable 2 is directly attached, the weight of the long ends of the respective arms permitting them to drop to their lowest position, thus causing the short ends to draw on the cables 2 2 and raise the solenoid-bars 1 1 to their highest position within their respective solenoids.

Carried by the wires T T for a-considerable distance on each side of the pointbf intersection of said wires'are signal-wires S 8, respectively, each wire leading to a resistance-coil R R in the path of the current, by

which the solenoids are energized, the opposite ends of the solenoids being grounded, as is obvious. The manner of coupling the wires 8 S to the wires T T is best illustrated in Figs. 7 to 10, inclusive. Embracing the wire T (T) is a metallic sleeve 9, provided with a series of sockets 10, a corresponding sleeve 11, provided with a similar set of sockets 12, being passed about the wire 8 (8), each pair of sockets 10 12 being adapted to receive an insulating spacing-piece 13, by which perfect insulation is insured for the signal-wires underordinarycircumstances. The signal-wire is disposed diagonally above the trolley-wire, (see Fig. 10,) so that as the trolley-wheel 14, carried by the pole 15, passes over the wire '1 (T) the signal-wire will contact with the side Wall of the groove formed in the wheel 14, the current conveyed by said trolleywheel being partially deflected and caused to pass through the solenoid, which will be then brought into electric connection at the time. The moment the current passes through the solenoid the magnetic force developed in consequence draws or attracts the solenoid-bar downward, this action lifting the signal-arms, (see dotted position in Fig. 3 and full position in Fig. 4,) which thus serve as a signal or warning of the approach of the car having the right of way. Should both cars engage their respective signal-wires at the same time, (which may sometimes occur,) both sets of signal-arms will be raised, thus giving the car not having the right of Way a chance to come to a stop. The signalarms are suitably painted to answer the purpose for which they are intended and at night may be supplied with colored signal-lights.

Having described my invention, what I 'claim is- An electric signal comprising two intersecting line-wires, a signal-wire carried by but insulated from each line-wire, a solenoid in electric circuit with each signal-wire, a pole for the support of the solenoids, a solenoid-bar for each solenoid, cables for the support of the solenoid-bars, pulleys for guiding said cables, suitable intersecting brackets forming a pair of arms disposed in one plane, a second pair of arms disposed in a plane at right angles to the first pair and having fixed ends secured at the point of intersection of said first pair, signal-arms adapted to swing in planes at right angles to one another, pivoted to each of the aforesaid pair of arms, links connecting the adjacent ends of each pair of said signal-arms, the upper ends of the cables being connected to said links, and the parts operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CONRAD BUDKE, JR.

Witnesses:

EMIL STAREK, G. L. BELFRY. 

